During the last several years a large number of rhodium (I) complexes containing chiral phosphine ligands have been reported to function effectively as chiral hydrogenation catalysts. See, for example, D. Valentine and J. W. Scott Synthesis, 329 (1978); M. Lauer, O. Samuel, and H. B. Kagan, J. Orgmet. Chem., 177, 309-12 (1979); and P. Pino and G. Consiglio in, Fundamental Research in Homogeneous Catalysis III, ed. M. Tsutsui, Plenum, N.Y., 1979, p. 519.
A number of references also describe the chemical and stereochemical mechanisms of these asymmetric homogeneous hydrogenation catalysts. See J. Halpern, D. P. Riley, A. S. C. Chan, J. J. Pluth, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 99, 8055 (1977); A. S. C. Chan., J. J. Pluth, and J. Halpern, Inorg. Chim. Acta, 37, L477 (1979); D. A. Slack, I. Greveling, and M. C. Baird, Inorg. Chem., 18 (11), 3125 (1979); J. M. Brown and B. A. Murrer, Tett. Lett., 50, 4859 (1979); J. M. Brown, P. A. Chaloner, and P. N. Nicholson, J.C.S. Chem. Commun., 646 (1978); J. Halpern, A. S. C. Chan, D. P. Riley, and J. J. Pluth, Adv. Chem. Ser., 173, ed. R. B. King, ACS, Wash. D.C., 1979, p. 16-25. W. S. Knowles, B. D. Vineyard, M. J. Sabacky, and B. R. Stults, in Fundamental Research in Homogeneous Catalysis III, ed. M. Tsutsui, Plenum, N.Y., 1979, p. 537; and C. Detellier, G. Gelbard, and H. M. Kagan, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 100, 7556 (1978).
M. D. Fryzuk and B. Bosnich, JACS, 100, 5491 (1978) and JACS, 99, 6262 (1977) describe the preparation of certain rhodium-phosphine chiral catalysts.